1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to analysis of the layout of computer systems in a datacenter, and more specifically relates to analysis of the thermal efficiency of the layout.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems consume power and produce heat as a byproduct of power consumption. In particular, computer systems often include many rack-mounted components in a high-density arrangement, which can produce a considerable amount of heat. Thermal management of computer systems requires removing excess heat to control internal temperatures, which may increase the reliability, performance, and longevity of the equipment. In a rack-mounted computer system, for example, rack-mounted blowers are typically used to generate airflow through the rack to remove the excess heat and cool the components. Innovations in computer technology have resulted in increasing component density and power consumption of rack-mounted computer systems, with a corresponding increase in the amount of heat produced. These increases in power consumption and heat production have heightened the emphasis on thermal management of rack-mounted computer systems.
The arrangement of equipment racks in a datacenter can have a dramatic effect on the performance of the cooling system. Racks are commonly arranged in an organized hot-aisle/cold-aisle layout to minimize the likelihood of appreciable volumes of heated exhaust air from directly re-entering the racks. A hot-aisle/cold-aisle layout may include alternating hot aisles and cold aisles, with the front of each rack facing a cold aisle and the rear of each rack directed toward a hot aisle. A computer room air conditioner (CRAC) supplies cool air to the cold aisles. The cool air from the cool aisle is drawn into the front of each rack and the heated air is exhausted through the rear of the rack to the hot aisle. The heated exhaust air then recirculates through the CRAC to be cooled and returned back to the cold aisles.
Even when a hot-aisle/cold-aisle layout is generally adhered to in a datacenter, the specific parameters of that layout affect the optimization of the layout. For example, the spacing of the racks and the dimensions of the resulting hot-aisles and cold-aisles affect how efficiently the space in the datacenter is used and how efficiently the rack-mount components are cooled. Inappropriate implementation of a hot-aisle/cold-aisle arrangement can further reduce cooling performance. For example, datacenter personnel might mistakenly position a first rack with the rear of the rack facing the front of an adjacent second rack, which can cause heated air from the first rack to enter the adjacent second rack.